Branch box for insulated electric wires.



No. 775,037. PATENTED NOV. 15 1904.

' M. HAVENS, JR.

BRANCH BOX FOR INSULATED ELECTRIC WIEEs.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses.

I H0 MODEL.

fllortonfiavemgjr Inven-Eoz':

attorney.

PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

' M. HAVENS, JR. BRANCH BOX FOR INSULATED ELECTRIC WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1903.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

c/ l c'orloip duens ji" Wfnesses.

auto? 'Iuy PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

, M. HAVENS, JR.

BRANCH BOX FOR INSULATED ELECTRIC WIRES.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

Z. l w n M Wfnases,

attorney Patented November 15, 190%.

PATENT Orricr...

MORTON HAVEN'S, JR., OF ALBANY, NEW' YORK.

BRANCH BOX FOR INSULATED ELECTRIC WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,037, dated November15, 1904:

Application filed .iovembe 3, 1903. Serial No. 179,734. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTON HAvENs. J r., a citizen of the United States,residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Branch Boxes for InsulatedElectric ires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boxes for branching insulated electric wires;and it consists in the novel construction of parts and the novelarrangements and combinations of parts and elements hereinafterdescribed. and set forth in the claims.

The object of this invention is to provide, with a metallic tubularconduit, a box having in it an oblong branch chamber of narrow width,which communicates with said conduit for passage of two insulatedelectric wires in either direction to or from the same, with the wiresseparated and branched and having passage through individual insulatorssuitably fixed in a box-closing piece, which is reniovably secured tothe body of the box, and are adapted to hold the branching wires atsuitable distances apart.

Other objects and ad vantages will be clearly understood from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the drawings, in twosheets, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of the branch box embodying the improvements and tubularconduit coupled together. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical section. Fig. 4: is a v1ew of the box from itslower side. Fig.5 1s a plan of the box-closing piece. Fig. 6 1s a section of the same.Fig. 7 is a view of an insulator employed in the box-closing piece shownin section. Fig. 8 is a view of the same from its stem end. Fig. 9 is aside elevation of a box with a modified form of construction with partsshown in section. Fig. 10 is a view of the same from an end of the box.Fig. 11 is a side elevation showing another modification of form withpart in section. Fig. 12 is a modification showing a conduit applied toone end of a box. Fig. 13 is a view showing an application of thisinvention to a conduit for a street-lamp. Fig. 1 1 is a plan on twoconduits.

of one end of the branch box with the closing-piece removed and showinga device for holding a seated insulator from turning. Fig. 15 is aninside elevation of the same device. Fig. 16 is a plan showing amodification of the device shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 17 is aninsideelevation of the same. Fig. 18 is a plan of a modification of the branchbox for coupling Fig. 19 is a modification for coupling on threeconduits. Fig. 20' is a plan of another modification for coupling onthree conduits. Fig. 21 is a plan of a modification for coupling on fourconduits, and Fig. 22 is a plan of a modification for coupling on thebox two conduits in alinement with the length of the body of the same.

Similar letters of reference refer to several parts throughout theseveral views.

' In this invention the drawings show branch boxes for coupling on them,respectively, one

'or more conduits up to four in number.

These several modifications shown do not relate to the branch boxitself, but to the situation and position of the projection providedwith screw-threads for coupling the box on the respective conduits whichmay be employed with it. I will therefore give a particular descriptionof the novel'elements embodied in the branch box itself.

' In the drawings, A is a branch box embodying the novel parts andelements in this invention and comprises the body A and closing-piece AThe body A may be made of cast-iron, malleable iron, brass, or any othersuitable alloy and has in it the oblong chamber B, which is closed onthree sides by walls a a a, and closing-piece A which is removablysecured to the said body A, preferably by screws Z2 passing throughsuitable perforations 6 and screwing into screw threaded perforationsmade in the internal projections 0 c, which project inward from sidewalls (a a and are integral with the same. This chamber B is of lengthpreferably between three and one-half inches and four inches in theclear between side walls a 0, preferably about three-quarters of aninch, yet it may be of greater or less width, according as may be foundto be advantageous for readily receiving two or more insulated wires WW.

In body A, at a suitable point therein, is provided a screw-threadedperforation C for coupling said body with the tubular electric conduitD, preferably iron, which incloses a negative and a positive wire, whichafter passage out from said conduit enters into the chamber B andseparate and are spread apart within said chamber and pass out therefromthrough the closing-piece A at points about two and one-half inchesapart or at such other distance apart as boards of underwriters ormunicipal or other laws may specify said two wires IV IV are to be apartfor insuring safety of wires for preventing accidental burning ofcombustible substances in near proximity to the same. side portion ofthis body A is a guard a", which prevents said body from having closecontact with a partition, wall, or ceiling or other part of a building.

In Figs. 14 and 15 are shown two vertical projections a (4 which areprojected inward from the ends of the body of the box, between whichprojections is vertical groove a", and in Figs. 16 and 17 is showninstead of said projection c a" and groove (6* the cavity a the purposesof which elements will be hereinafter described.

The closing-piece A consists of an oblong piece of metal of length,width, and form in correspondence with the outline of the outer walls ofsaid body A, surrounding the opening of chamber B. This closing-piece isprovided with two circular perforations E E, having their centers abouttwo and one-half inches apart for reception-insulators F. In thisclosing-piece are provided suitable notches e a, made in thecircumferential wall of said perforations E, which notches extendradially from the respective perforations to a short distance.

The insulators F are preferably made of porcelain or glass or othersubstance which is a good non-conductor and not inflammable. Theseinsulators are duplicates of each other and comprise a ring-form outerportion f, circular stem f of diameter corresponding with the diameterof perforations E E in the closing-piece A into which said stem fenters, and projections f f from the outside of said stem to a distancecorresponding with the notches a made in the closing-piece A andextending out from the respective perforations E, so that saidprojections f may pass through said notches e a when stems f are enteredinto the respective perforations and interlock with the portion of thematerial in which said notches are made. These insulators F are providedwith central perforations F, which communicate, respectively, withchamber B and receive each one of the two insulated wires I/V W, whichare in the chamber of this box and are branched in direction from eachother as they enter said chamber from the conduit D, inclosing both saidwires.

Provided on an out- The closing-piece A will have its insulators Finserted in place in it and be turned a quarter-turn, so that theprojections f f from stems f may be in situation for register withgroove a", M and 15, or cavity 1/" in Figs. 16 and 17 when saidclosing-piece is applied in place to the open side of the body A of thebox. The branches of wires IV IV will be passed from the chamber-of thebox and through the central openings in the insulators F F before theclosing-piece A is applied to the box. The said closingpiece will now beapplied to the box, with one of the projections f of the stems of theinsulators entered into groove 0/ or notch (4 when the closing-piece Awill be secured in place on body A by screws 7) I/Vhen secured in place,the insulators will be securely held from turning in either direction.In Fig. 3 the two insulated wires in said conduit are shown to be heldadjoining each other by an outer insulating-covering, which outercovering is cut away or removed from the two separate insulated wireslodged in the chamber B and projecting out through the insulators F F;yet these insulated wires IV \V may be contained in the tubular conduitD without being bound together by a common outer insulating-covering.

In Figs. 1 and 3 this branch box A is shown to be coupled on the upperend of a vertical conduit Dby its screw-thread perforation (i beingscrewed on the screw-threaded upper end of said conduit, and the twowires passing from said conduit into the chamber B are made to branchout from each other and respectively have passage out from said chamberthrough the centralopenings of insulators F F at suitable distance apartto be continued in direction and to a distance preferred.

In Figs. 9 and 10 this branch box is shown to be coupled to twohorizontal conduits I) D and in its chamber receives the wires \V IVfrom the said conduits when they pass out separately through therespective insulators F F.

In Fig. 11 this branch box is shown to be provided with a screw-threadedprojection for coupling with a vertical conduit D and the box-closingpiece A, which is removably secured to the upper open side of the body Jof the box A.

In Fig. 12 the box shows a horizontal tubular conduit coupled with it byone of its ends being provided with a screw-threaded perforation C,(which screw-thread is not shown,) into which the screw-threaded end ofthe conduit may be screwed while the closing-piece A is applied to theupper side of the body of the box.

In Fig. 18 this branch box is shown to be provided with means forcoupling it with two conduits D.

In Fig. 19 the box is shown to be provided with means for coupling itwith two conduits D, one at each end of the box and the other atopposite side and at the middle of length of the same.

In Fig. 20 the box is shown to be coupled with two conduits D from oneof its ends and by a third conduit D from the opposite end of the box.

In Fig. 21 the box is shown to have at each end provided with means forcoupling said ends with four conduits, and in Fig. 22 the box is shownto be provided with means for coupling it to two conduits, which areextended outward horizontally in opposite directions and in alinementwith the body of the box.

1n the views above described the box A and conduit D are mainly designedfor use within buildings, yet they may be applied to structures ordevices for use with insulated wires outside ofbuildings and in open airas box A is applied to and coupled with conduits C G of a street-lamp.(Shown in Fig. 13.)

The following is my preferred manner of introducing into the chamber Bof the box A the wires W and arranging them in said chamber for theirseparation and leading out therefrom: The two wires to beincased in theconduit D and then to be individually branched from the same and awayfrom each other to an exit out from the chamber B are to be introducedinto the said conduit after the box A has been coupled together by themeans provided. Then the wires W W, passed from the conduit Dinto thechamber B of the box,are separated, and one of these separated wires ispassed through the central opening F in one of insulators F, and theother wire is passed through the perforation F in the other insulator F,when the closing-piece A will be placed over the open end of chamber Bof said box, with the separated wires projected out from said insulatorsto a distance preferred, when the said closing-piece A will be securedin place on the open side of body A of the box, with projections f ofthe insulators in the groove (0* or cavity a", by the screws 6 b, whenthe conduit Dmay be placed in position and be secured in place, with theside of the box A having its guard 64 in bearing against the partition,Wall, or ceiling of the building to which this box and conduit are to beapplied It should be understood that conduit D may be of any suitablelength for'passage only through timbers or other material or forinclosing the wires in their whole length between ceiling and floor orbetween partitions or walls, and when so inclosed the wires may beprotected from injury and with this improved box prevent accidentto eachseparated wire and prevent the wires having contact with inflammablesubstances.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. A branch box for wires comprising a hollow body open on one side andprovided with an opening for theintroduction of awire, seats formed inthe hollow body, a cover adapted to fit over the open face, openingsformed in the cover, insulators having stops and fitting in thecover-openings and held located in said openings by the stops, saidstops engaging the seats of the hollow bod y, and means for fasteningthe cover to the hollow body.

2. A branch box for wires comprising a hollow open body formed with one'or more perforations for the passage of wires, a detachable coverformed with openings, detachable'insulators in said openings, meanscarried by the hollow body which coact with the insulators to lock thelatter to the box, and means for fastening the cover to the box.

3. A branch box for wires comprising a hollow open body formed with oneor more perforations for the passage of wires, a detachable cover formedwith openings, the edges of the latter being notched, insulators havinglugs, the shape of the insulators and their lugs corresponding to theshape of the openings and notches, means on the box which coact with thelugs to lock the insulators against displacement, and means forfastening the cover to the hollow body.

MORTON HAVENS, JR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SELKIRK, A. bELKIRK, Jr.

